A new network infrastructure needs to be developed for next generation wireless communication systems. One key reason is that significantly higher data rates impose serious power implications. This is because the per symbol energy decreases linearly with increasing data rate given a fixed transmit power.
Relay-based multi-hop wireless networks seem to be an economically justifiable solution and have attracted research and industry interest.
Multi-hop networking may be applied for radio range extension in mobile and wireless broadband cellular networks and to combat shadowing at high radio frequencies. Through the exploitation of spatial diversity, multi-hop relaying can enhance capacity in the cellular networks.